28 August 2006 Sydney: protest to support workers facing $28,600 fines Building workers, nurses, truck drivers and fire-fighters will tomorrow hold a community protest to mark the first day in court for 107 workers who face $28,600 fines for defending a sacked workmate. The Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union said these are the first workers prosecuted with the Howard Government’s new workplace laws and tens of thousands of people around the country will take part in workplace meetings and rallies to oppose the prosecutions. “These 107 building workers are the first victims of John Howard’s laws and they face massive fines and the loss of their family homes all because they took action to defend a workmate who was unfairly sacked by management,” CFMEU Nation Secretary John Sutton said. “Australian workers have a strong tradition of sticking together and defending each other, and this protest is just the beginning with people from all walks of life joining together to send a message to the Howard Government that we will not allow the victimisation of fellow working Australians. “Workers on the Mandurah Rail Project in Perth are being punished because they refused to stand by silently when site safety delegate Peter Ballard was unfairly sacked by Leighton’s management. “By prosecuting these workers John Howard’s enforcers, the Australian Building and Construction Commission, are seeking to crush the spirit of mateship and unity that built this nation. “These may be the first workers prosecuted under these radical new work laws, but we are certain they will not be the last while the Howard Government is in power and these unfair laws remain.” Sydney: protest against IR prosecutions When: 10am, Tuesday 29 August 2006 Where: Trades Hall, 377 Sussex Street, Sydney Media contact: Tim Vollmer (CFMEU Media Officer) 0404 273 313 John Sutton (CFMEU National Secretary) 0419 254 180 Andrew Ferguson (CFMEU NSW Secretary) 0412 511 994